Nagano & Zenko-ji: The Temple Town at the Heart of the Japan Alps
Nagano (ι·ι) is unusual among Japanese cities in that its central organizing principle is a Buddhist temple rather…
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Kakunodate: The Samurai Town of Akita β Cherry Blossoms & Preserved Streetscapes
In most of Japan, the physical fabric of the samurai era has been lost β to the deliberate…
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Kanazawa: Japan’s ‘Little Kyoto’ β Kenroku-en, Higashi Chaya & Omicho Market
Kanazawa (ιζ²’) owes much of its current reputation to a historical accident: the city was never significantly bombed…
Read more βKutani Pottery: The Bold Blue and Red Ceramics of Kanazawa
Kutani pottery (δΉθ°·ηΌ) β produced in the Kanazawa area of Ishikawa Prefecture, with historical origins in what is…
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Lake Toya & Showa Shinzan: The Active Volcano Landscape of Southern Hokkaido
Southern Hokkaido's volcanic landscape produces some of the most geologically dramatic scenery in Japan β and the combination…
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Gujo Hachiman: The Crystal Clear River Town & Japan’s Summer Dance Festival
Gujo Hachiman (ι‘δΈε «εΉ‘) β a small castle town of approximately 15,000 people in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture…
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Hakodate: The Star Fort City β Morning Market, Ropeway & the Best Squid in Japan
On March 31, 1854, the Convention of Kanagawa β signed aboard Commodore Perry's flagship in Shimoda harbor β…
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Hakuba Valley in Summer: Japan’s Alpine Hiking & Mountain Flower Season
Most international visitors know Hakuba (η½ι¦¬) as one of Japan's finest ski resorts β the venue for the…
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Hirosaki: Japan’s Best Cherry Blossom Castle β The Tohoku Secret
In the cherry blossom debate that occupies Japanese conversation every spring β Ueno versus Maruyama, Yoshino versus Hirano…
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Hokkaido in Summer: Lavender, Lakes & Why It’s Japan’s Best Summer Escape
In July and August, when the rest of Japan is operating under a combination of extreme heat and…
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